Celebrities Help or Hurt Global Causes?


Actress Drew Barrymore is now lobbying Congress for the UN World Food Program. Do Hollywood star-activists help bring attention to global problems, or do they get in the way of those who know what they're doing?

From the newspaper:
Hollywood Stars Find an Audience For Social Causes

Posted by Ignatius, Zakaria & Ahn on June 11, 2007 10:52 AM

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July 19, 2007 8:10 PM | Report Offensive Comments

Chace :

I think we should all be happy for any amount of help that ANYONE, celeb or not, wants to contribute to ANY cause!!! One might think that they have self serving ambitions in mind when speaking out. But seriously, who cares what they wanna speak out about as long as someone is quiet long enough to listen! Not everyone is capable of jumping in the trenches and saving the world with their bare hands. I'm glad that celebs have a way to bring about awareness. Imagine how much worse it would be if we did not know what is happening all around us!
After recieving TWO terminal diagnoses, I changed my life around, in a positive direction as a way to save it. Slowly as my level of concousness and spirituallity began to rise, I began extending that awareness to those around me. I was doing my part as an individual and as a result, God (or the cosmos or however you see it) brought me to a place where I can help make a global difference. I was introduced to a mission, that I have since joined, that will make a major impact on the health of our planet!!!...For humans, marine life and the animal kingdom as well...after all the whole food chain needs to be healed, top to bottom.
We are seeking research funding for some biotech answers to so many problems we face globally. Let me tell you, what I've got saved my life!!! Now I'm on a mission to help the world! Anyone out there wanna know more or have ideas in regards to large scale funding for research?

July 10, 2007 4:37 PM | Report Offensive Comments

Chace :

I think we should all be happy for any amount of help that ANYONE, celeb or not, wants to contribute to ANY cause!!! One might think that they have self serving ambitions in mind when speaking out. But seriously, who cares what they wanna speak out about as long as someone is quiet long enough to listen! Not everyone is capable of jumping in the trenches and saving the world with their bare hands. I'm glad that celebs have a way to bring about awareness. Imagine how much worse it would be if we did not know what is happening all around us!
After recieving TWO terminal diagnoses, I changed my life around, in a positive direction as a way to save it. Slowly as my level of concousness and spirituallity began to rise, I began extending that awareness to those around me. I was doing my part as an individual and as a result, God (or the cosmos or however you see it) brought me to a place where I can help make a global difference. I was introduced to a mission, that I have since joined, that will make a major impact on the health of our planet!!!...For humans, marine life and the animal kingdom as well...after all the whole food chain needs to be healed, top to bottom.
We are seeking research funding for some biotech answers to so many problems we face globally. Let me tell you, what I've got saved my life!!! Now I'm on a mission to help the world! Anyone out there wanna know more or have ideas in regards to large scale funding for research?

July 10, 2007 4:32 PM | Report Offensive Comments

Chace :

I think we should all be happy for any amount of help that ANYONE, celeb or not, wants to contribute to ANY cause!!! One might think that they have self serving ambitions in mind when speaking out. But seriously, who cares what they wanna speak out about as long as someone is quiet long enough to listen! Not everyone is capable of jumping in the trenches and saving the world with their bare hands. I'm glad that celebs have a way to bring about awareness. Imagine how much worse it would be if we did not know what is happening all around us!
After recieving TWO terminal diagnoses, I changed my life around, in a positive direction as a way to save it. Slowly as my level of concousness and spirituallity began to rise, I began extending that awareness to those around me. I was doing my part as an individual and as a result, God (or the cosmos or however you see it) brought me to a place where I can help make a global difference. I was introduced to a mission, that I have since joined, that will make a major impact on the health of our planet!!!...For humans, marine life and the animal kingdom as well...after all the whole food chain needs to be healed, top to bottom.
We are seeking research funding for some biotech answers to so many problems we face globally. Let me tell you, what I've got saved my life!!! Now I'm on a mission to help the world! Anyone out there wanna know more or have ideas in regards to large scale funding for research?

July 10, 2007 4:32 PM | Report Offensive Comments

Dave! :

Bob-VA,

"Of course not, but she will make at least a few people less hungry and that's a very good thing."
I would offer up that in the short term she may be helping some hungry people. But if bringing dollars into countries let's soclialist or dictatorship governments off the hook of having to take care of their people (think North Korea), in the long run it probably does more harm to more people. But while i firmly believe that our focus should be treating the causes (governments), i would agree that it is very hard to not treat the symptom (hunger) as well.

"People who try to make a difference should be applauded for the effort alone and not berated."
There are many well intentioned people that try to make a difference that wind up getting duly berated for it - the easiest name off the tongue is George Bush. I submit that results matter.

June 15, 2007 12:58 PM | Report Offensive Comments

AJ, Troutman, NC :

There is really no problem with celebrities taking an active role in the problems of today. Do they hinder the role of workers "that know what they are doing?" I dont really know. I know that whenever a celebrity chooses to tackle issues in countries where the anti-American sentiment is high then I think that the celebrity should limit their visits as security for the celebrity effects the day to day task of those who already harbor an anti-American demeanor. It makes no sense to have security personnel close down roads, floor's of buildings,etc, and have the stigma of the spoiled American amplified. If a celebrity wants to spearhead amovement, they should do it from hollywood. If a trip is absolutely necessary then dont be a manace to the people you are trying to "help."

June 13, 2007 4:29 PM | Report Offensive Comments

AJ, Troutman, NC :

There is really no problem with celebrities taking an active role in the problems of today. Do they hinder the role of workers "that know what they are doing?" I dont really know. I know that whenever a celebrity chooses to tackle issues in countries where the anti-American sentiment is high then I think that the celebrity should limit their visits as security for the celebrity effects the day to day task of those who already harbor an anti-American thought process. It makes not sense to have security personnel close down roads, floor's of buildings,etc, and have the stigma of the spoiled American amplified. If a celebrity wants to spearhead amovement, they should do it from hollywood. If a trip is absolutely necessary then dont be a manace to the people you are trying to "help."

June 13, 2007 4:28 PM | Report Offensive Comments

BobL-VA :

Dave,

There's no doubt about it charities are everywhere and there's one for just about everything. Every time you turn around someone else is asking for money for some cause. Like you, I also prioritize my giving. It would be impossible for me to give to every charity and worthwhile cause out there today. I neither have the time or the money.

That there are 200, 400 or 800 million chronically malnourished people on this planet (the number itself is in dispute) is my point. Obviously, we're (the entire planet) not making sure a large number of people have the basic food requirements they need. If we assume starving people is a bad thing and it's something we should rectify then people engaged in raising awareness and money to help solve the problem is very difficult to argue against.

My girlfriend is an RN and is spending this week in El Salvador with a medical team providing free medical care to indigent people. Her sister is a surgical pediatrics nurse who goes to Paraguay each year with a team to do open heart surgery on infants. Will either of these two women solve the poors medical needs in Latin America? Of course not, but they have made it just a little bit better. I feel the same way about Drew Barrymore. Will she eradicate hunger on this planet? Of course not, but she will make at least a few people less hungry and that's a very good thing. People who try to make a difference should be applauded for the effort alone and not berated.

June 13, 2007 4:12 PM | Report Offensive Comments

D. Hodara :

The question implies that there are people who know what they are doing at the UN!!! Considering the oil and food, the Human rights commission, the disagreements of the five members of the Security Council, etc., there may be a positive reaction to an actor/actress's, known internationally, intervention for a specific cause.

June 13, 2007 11:34 AM | Report Offensive Comments

Moral Dilemma :

I believe Hollywood stars do help bring attention to what they consider to be global issues. And who better to do it? I believe it to be their moral obligation to use their influence to make the world a better place, as it is for all of us. Case in point - I think Steven Spielberg has done a great job in bringing awareness about Darfur. So much so that as soon as he threatened to make a film, China sent an ambassador to Sudan immediately to criticize they way they are handling it.

However, global hunger is not an issue, or should not be. The more starving people you feed and keep alive, the more starving babies they will have that grow up to be starving people with more starving babies. Let's face it, people reproduce, and people who can't afford food obviously can't afford birth control. It sounds very callous, but by doing what we think is right, we are actually making the big picture worse.

Now this is easy to say in type but I could never turn a hungry person away from my door. I like living in a world where people still care enough to feed the hungry. But its not quite the logical thing to do. Education, especially about birth control, seems to be the only key to breaking this vicious cycle.

The other problem is that feeding the starving creates a hand to mouth syndrome. Having volunteered internationally, I have seen this first hand. As soon as you start giving people food they stop working for it. They become dependent on the hand that feeds and then resent when the supply stops.

June 13, 2007 9:09 AM | Report Offensive Comments

Anju Chandel, New Delhi, India :

The so-called stars do seem to attract attention of the world towards global causes. However, the so-called star in question should be of very high credibility for the world to actually be willing to even listen to him/her. Otherwise, the whole exercise becomes a mockery - yet another publicity venture.

June 13, 2007 4:52 AM | Report Offensive Comments

Dave! :

BobL-VA,
Obviously feeding people that have no food is a no-brainer (other than for, i guess, darwin's radio). In this instance, the US provides over 50% of the funding for this program. I'm not sure that trying to raise the awareness in the US is really needed. Who in the US has not seen or heard about the feed the children commercials or the programs and collections for the poor that almost every church in the US does? My six year old discovered feed the children on his own! Drew might want to take her show on the road. Like most in the US, i am deluged with requests for donations for everything under the sun. I am not inclined to give because Drew has attached her name to a particular cause although I realize that others may. I do what i can for the causes that mean the most to me. So my question is is it a good thing to entice people to donate to an organization that is failing on at least one third of its goals or does that waste peoples money that could be better spent in other ways? Since people are aware of the feeding the poor aspect, shouldn't she focus on the other goals? I think if a celeb endorses a cause, they have an obligation to be intellegent and knowledgeable about what they are doing. How crass is it to be the face of a cause and ask people to give their hard earned money, that could be donated to a myriad of other charities, if they really have no idea what the cause is or what the charity or program is doing about it? Won't that make people (like me) cynical about charities in general? I know that i roll my eyes whenever i hear about a celebrity's new cause.

June 13, 2007 12:14 AM | Report Offensive Comments

Jessica :

I think that actors do bring more awareness to important issues and get the general public to pressure their representatives into action. Looking beyond our lives as Americans, we—as members of the global community—face common problems and must work together as a world community to fight them. The United Nation’s Millennium Development Goals, which call for cutting world hunger in half by 2015 and eliminating it altogether by 2025, are a good place to start thinking and acting with a global mindset. It is estimated that the expenditure of a mere $19 billion would eliminate starvation and malnutrition worldwide. In a time when the United States’ current defense budget is $522 billion, the goal of eradicating world hunger is clearly well within reach if we act together as one world.

June 12, 2007 7:26 PM | Report Offensive Comments

J. Rhinehart :

Celebrities like Jolie help. I had never heard of Darfur until Jolie & Clooney got involved. I think it's our duty, as human beings, to point out injustices when we see them. They're just in the limelight more than I am, so they're able to do more. I applaud them for trying.

June 12, 2007 7:24 PM | Report Offensive Comments

BobL-VA :

I stand corrected. Just when I thought most people would agree fighting world hunger is a noble endeavor along comes Darwins Radio. According to him feeding the poor only increases their numbers and as harsh as it seems people starving to death helps solve the problem?

I would like to take this opportunity to nominate Darwin for the, "BIG MACS ONLY BELONG TO PEOPLE WITH CHANGE IN THEIR POCKETS AWARD." This award is given annually to the person who exhibits a complete lack of humanity.

Have we really become so cynical and mean spirited as a society we're willing to watch needless human suffering and starvation and accept it as a way of life?

While we at Darwin why don't we cut off all the social programs (welfare, food banks, food stamps, etc.) in the US and hasten the demise of our poor as well? Then the general public can witness about 8-10% of our citizens shriveling up and dying in the streets.

Darwin you may be a human being, but you certainly don't have an ounce of humanity in your make up.

June 12, 2007 7:12 PM | Report Offensive Comments

COS :

MIKEB,

Dude, get over yourself. What are you talking about? Some stars do happen to have some idea of how the world works, and well before there were blogs there were celebrities. And before guys and gals found a novel way to sit and complain all day in their underwear on a computer, many of these star-activists were defending the environment (R. Redford); fighting for debt relief in Africa (Bono); AIDS research (Sharon Stone); and championing a new political philosophy (Ronald Reagan).

There is no harm in being famous and aware of the world beyond. Celebrities have nothing to be ashamed of, either. They are rich, they are famous. Fickle as we are, it ain't easy being a Hollywood celebrity. If they choose to use it to make the world a little better, more power to them. If they choose not to, that is their right, too.

If you, on the other hand, have so many solutions, then by all means share them, fight for them, and make it happen.

The world awaits.

June 12, 2007 6:44 PM | Report Offensive Comments

darwin's radio :

The problem with global starvation is that nobody knows what they are doing. When you feed the starving millions, they live long enough to procreate a few times and make many more starving millions.

Life is a simple mass balance equation. Mass In = Mass Out. The less mass put in, the less mass comes out.

So if the feeding stops, it curbs the problem. this sounds coldhearted, but giving away food is actually make the problem incredibly worse. Its good to work for things like workplace safety, 40 hour work weeks and things like this, but a line needs to be drawn. Its a great thing that poeple want to help those that are suffering, but their sympathies are actually making things worse.

June 12, 2007 6:13 PM | Report Offensive Comments

daniel :

Do Hollywood star-activists help bring attention to global problems, or do they get in the way of those who know what they're doing?

Assuming determining what exactly are the world's problems is a relatively easy thing, we can automatically assume that Hollywood star-activists do bring attention to such problems for obvious reasons (celebrity). The question is whether they get in the way of those who know what they are doing--and that, to be fair, should probably be determined according to a case by case basis.

But supposing a problem has been determined and the star-activist and the experts disagree, do they disagree to such a degree that the experts envision ultimately a world in which the star-activist does not exist? Or to put it in a different way, how exactly is it a better world if the star-activist and experts agree and the result is the United States we now live in with rampant celebrity (celebrity accorded for questionable accomplishments)?

I suppose what I am trying to say is supposing the experts in general and star-activists disagree yet the experts have no idea except ultimately arrive at a world of movie stars,--the celebrities we know of today...How exactly is that a world other than one in which the stars are automatically activists, are saviors at least in the sense that we have something to watch after work and to take our minds off being obese?

In other words when those we worship tackle problems we still arrive at a world in which those we worship reign--unless the experts have an idea of a different world...

Another question is how exactly can a movie star glutted world solve any problems--in fact is not the worship of celebrity we have today something of a failure to solve problems and desire to dream? Asking celebrities to solve our problems is something like asking our dreams to solve our dreams. Of course the arts are necessary--just taking the hardline on the discussion.

And perhaps our dreams do indeed occasionally solve our dreams...Perhaps in fact intense dreaming is necessary to solve the most intractable problems...

But still this idea of Hollywood star-activists speaking on world problems is one of the world gradually transformed into Hollywood whether anyone wants to admit it or not. The savior always turns the saved into something of himself. Even if a person does not need saving and comes into contact with someone else he becomes something of the other person. I recently saw Dances with Wolves again with a friend and wondered what exactly today the experts would suggest the spreading United States should have done with the Sioux indian...

Or take Bill Gates and his belief inequality is a serious problem in the world. Does he mean to spread his wealth or try to create conditions in which people can become wealthy as himself? So far he seems pretty tight with the wealth. He helps out, but has this budged his position as the world's richest man? And what world does he envision? One with computers everywhere? Not that computers are bad, but we can hardly expect their influence to lead to anything other than modern conditions, world transforming conditions...Conditions in which we all want to be famous for really having done nothing? All wealthy as Bill Gates?

The big point I suppose is that even the saviors in our world are terribly flawed because they presuppose a world in which they are the epitome and we cannot have a world in which all are movie stars or rich as Bill Gates. And those wanting to be saved for all their helplessness and innocence (as so many declare) have not in the least a better idea of nobility for man (although they might if we consider nobility is born of suffering).

It just strikes me as comical movie-stars being saviors...Even Bill Gates as a savior...

If you want to speak of a savior what might be a better analysis is the study of society in general and the observation that if a society has the proper talents and coordination between them that automatically comes to be seen as good by others even though the individuals in said society are not particularly good. In other words a highly coordinated and talented society often is seen as good by others because it can take it easy with others much in the way a professional basketball team does not have to beat up a high school team to defeat them. The goodness of America, the values of America do not depend on some essence of goodness in particular Americans but on our overall coordination and exaltation of talents by which we can afford to take it easy on others...

We should take this to heart and seek to instill it in others. But if we do not take it to heart it makes little sense to speak of foregoing torture, or preserving our values, or welcoming immigrants, or fighting terrorists with intelligence...Or eradicating world hunger or preventing climate change...

In fact not grasping why we are strong and capable is an act of terrorism on ourselves--an act of terrorism born of ignorance, an increasing loss of cohesion and coordination which only increases ill will in society. Imagine a professional basketball team suddenly losing to a high school team and not understanding why...The accusations fly, the team becomes crueler...

I think America totally needs to understand itself before tackling world problems or it just increases the problems....

June 12, 2007 5:41 PM | Report Offensive Comments

Reuben :

They get in the way unless they are humble and are just a mouth piece. Show me an actor/actress who is humble and not emotional................yeah thought so. It would be nice if they championed something a little less daunting like clean water. With that we wouldn't have to drink bottled water and every citizen poor or rich would have water at the park. It's too plain and simple though. Talking about another country or saving the rain forest is soo much sexier. Nobody says save the northern plain states in the US.

June 12, 2007 4:07 PM | Report Offensive Comments

pgr88 :

Stars promoting social causes are like having a nice cocktail to unwind after a tough day. It doesn't do crap to solve your problems, but feels good. Why won't one "star" promote the simple cause of economic freedom? It's not at all fashionable, but the most basic idea of protecting someone's property, even if it is only a bag of sorghum or 1/4 acre of land, will work wonders for an economy - especially Africa's.

June 12, 2007 3:58 PM | Report Offensive Comments

TE-VA :

People who react so vehemently against celebrities using their celebrity to talk about a cause seem more concerned about showing their superiority to these celebrities in terms of intelligence and dedication than care for the causes they profess to espouse. Why the fury and the outrage? Celebrities can use their fame and their money any way they want to (it's their money and fame and they got it because non-celebrities gave it to them), just as we non-celebrities are free to ignore what they have to say and go about our own business and think our own thoughts. I doubt that using your fame to push for a cause will hurt and even if it is just a photo op, someone might see the poor starving child in the corner of the photo that never would have seen it before.

June 12, 2007 2:27 PM | Report Offensive Comments

Scott :

So, the 11th was another slow news day?

June 12, 2007 2:21 PM | Report Offensive Comments

Scott :

So, the 11th was another slow news day?

June 12, 2007 2:20 PM | Report Offensive Comments

BobL-VA :

Dave,

If your argument is ending poverty would solve hunger no one would argue with that. However, until we find a way to solve poverty feeding people who are starving is a good start.

I'm aware the task of even distibuting food to those starving and malnurished is daunting at best, but I laud anyone willing to try. I also have high praise for people trying to eradicate poverty.

This question really has a feel of no good deed goes unpunished to me. A great many celebrities engage in charitable work. Elizabeth Taylor has raised millions for AIDS research. Princess Diana with Land Mine issues. Tiger Woods has a foundation for education. The list just goes on and on. If in the course of lending support to a charitable cause a person ends up in front of Congress to testify regarding the charity they are aligned with does that not bring greater exposure and hopefully more donations? I think it does.

Personally, I don't know Drew Barrymore. I have never spoken to the woman. I don't know if she's bright and well informed, an airhead or somewhere in between. Frankly, I don't care. What I do care about is she is willing to give time and lend her name to a cause that very few people wouldn't consider worthwhile. We should be praising her involvment. Instead we're wondering if she's competent enough to lend her time and support? As I said no good deed goes unpunished.

June 12, 2007 12:24 PM | Report Offensive Comments

mohammad allam :

it is nice to see the celebraties are returning the society for what they recieved from the society.They can do better as they have power,resources,and will.beside the global problems the hollywood also consider the films they used to do.Many of the hollywood films are beyond the norm of the society and creating problems of violence in the society.it creating mistrust among the people.They are working on such issue which does not need any intention.The sex,wine,gambling and drugs promotion in movies are crumbling our society.The film "true and lies "created the problem of mistrust between two world most respected communities.see in this movie how he promoted the them of clashes of civilization by projecting muslim terrorism and christian world.after this movie the tragic event of man kind occured in america.
so in my opinion the best way to these celebraties to also project in their movie the problems of world and also work practically for upliftment of the society.

June 12, 2007 5:32 AM | Report Offensive Comments

Yousuf Hashmi :

Yes celebraties do help to get attention of global problems, and by no means they can obstruct the work of those who are envolved in this cause.

Although it is not too ethical that the genuin global issues need the crunches of marketing techniques to spread their message. But the Hollywood tars as well as some athelites and sports personalities have the magic in their message which attract the masses of people.

Are they genuinly interested in their campaign or they are just acting and by using some noble banner they are marketing for themselves, this question should be left to their own concious .

We have witnessed very famous stars start working for UN led campaigns. They just not started using the banner of UN themselves but in fact after very careful thought they weree recruited by UN to work as volunteers

If world's biggest organization need the charisma of Hollywood to highlite the global issues then how can smaller charity organizations can approach to masses.

For example a very seious issue like global Warming when discussed in G-8 meetings it do indicate the seriousness but when it is explained by some bureauocrate choosing every world very carefully and try to camouflage each and every centence it looses the attention of common man.

Imagine if a movie is made by Hollywood showing glaciers are melting and down below one family is trapped up and some stray CIA agent suddenly turns up to explore those giants who are spreading the harmful emmissions and then ofcourse car chases hovercrafts flying on snow and so-on.

Then the message will creep through every home with out any barriers.

One last thing today in this materalistic world if somebody wants to devote its time and energy for some noble cause it should be appreciated.


June 12, 2007 1:04 AM | Report Offensive Comments

bobw :

After learning how many senators and presidential candidates voted to send our people to Iraq to get shot without bothering to read the full Intelligence Summary, we shouldn't be too demanding that celebreties do their "homework."

June 11, 2007 11:50 PM | Report Offensive Comments

Dave! :

The WFP was established in 1963. It has three goals:

1) save lives in refugee and other emergency situations;
2) improve the nutrition and quality of life of the most vulnerable people at critical times in their lives; and
3) help build assets and promote the self-reliance of poor people and communities, particularly through labour-intensive works programmes.

From 1998 - 2006, the Program has gathered contributions totaling close to 19 Billion dollars (with the US contributing close to 50%. In fact, in 2006, the US contributed more than the next 11 contributers combined. And even that is misleading as 3 of the contributers are the UN, World Bank and private contributers which has to include a lot of US money). The vast majority of this money goes to Africa which continues to have poverty rates that are horribly high. The WFP appears to do a pretty good job of saving lives in refugee and other emergency situations. It has done remarkably little to help people escape poverty. Where has there been a big success in the last 25 years or so? In China and India. Was it the WFP? Or was it that both economies changed at approximately the same time (1978–1980); both started to open up, reduce tariffs, and embrace markets? The rest is history. In 1980, the poverty head count ratio in India and China was 50 and 60 percent, respectively. By 2000, the